President meets with PM, visits former Party, State leaders of Laos

President Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) and Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh (Photo: VNA)

Vientiane (VNA) – President Nguyen Xuan Phuc on August 9 met with Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh; and visited and held separated meetings with former Party and State leaders of Laos.

They include Khamtai Siphandone, former President of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) and former President of Laos; and former Party General Secretaries and former Presidents Choummaly Sayasone, and Bounnhang Vorachith.

On the same day, President Phuc received Sinlavong Khutphaythoun, President of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee, and Khambay Damlath, President of the Laos – Vietnam Friendship Association Central Committee.

At these meetings, the current and former leaders of Laos stressed that President Phuc's selection of Laos for his first overseas visit in his new position showed that the Vietnamese Party and State, and the President himself have attached special importance to preserving, protecting and nurturing the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the two nations.

President Phuc and the current and former leaders of Laos highly evaluated each other country's measures to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic in the past time. They expressed their delight at prompt mutual support between the two nations amid the pandemic.

Agreeing on orientations for collaboration in the time to come, they highlighted the need to well coordinate with each other in the implementation of high-level agreements, the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation for 2021-2025, and the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Strategy for 2021-2030.

They agreed to support the Vietnamese and Lao Governments in speeding up the implementation of important joint projects such as Vung Ang ports, Hanoi-Vientiane expressway, Vientiane-Vung Ang railway, Laos-Vietnam friendship park in Vientiane, Nongkhang airport, and hospitals in Laos’s Houaphan and Xiangkhouang provinces.

They agreed to strengthen Vietnam – Laos collaboration at multilateral forums, particularly at the UN, ASEAN, and sub-regional cooperation mechanisms, to contribute to peace, stability, and development in the region and in the world.

In the evening of August 9, General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith and his spouse hosted a banquet in honour of President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, his wife and the Vietnamese delegation./.

VNA